Indicating attachment for tanks.



J. B. TURNER.

'INDIGATING ATTACHMENT FOR TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO, 4, 1911.

1,027,936. Patented May 28, 1912.

y I I Attorneys I or movement 0 p I be observed from the outside, a rod being .rosnrn B. TURNER,

OF CUERO,. TEXAS.

INDIGATING ATTACHMENT FOR TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented May 28,1912.

Application filed December 4, 1911. Serial N 0. 663,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. TURNER, a citizen of' the United States, residing at Cuero, in the county of Dewitt and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Indicating Attachment for Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in indicating attachment for tanks, the same being especially applicable for use inconnection with gasolene tanks for motor cars, the primary object of the present invention being the provisionof an indicating attachment adapted to be connected to the outlet pipe of a asolene tank whereby the height of the gas lene within the tank is visually recorded, a float attachment being disposed exteriorly of the motor car body and operably connected to an oscillatory hand or pointer disposed in indicating relation to a dial, the attachment being so cons tructed that it may be readily attached to any gasolene tank or the outlet pipe thereof.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel form of float holding cylinder provided with a verticallydisposed sight glass, whereby the elevation the float therewithin may connected to the float to operate a recorder,

the mechanism for operating the same being' disposed within a box mounted exteriorly of the motor car body .and accessible at all times. i

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combisection taken on line33 of Fi 4. Fig. 4:

nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described ahd claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of "what is claimed without den parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a motor car, the present indicating attachment being displayed in o erable relation to the gasolene tank, a portion of the body of the car being broken away to indicate the position of said tank. Fig. 2.is a detailed perspective view of a gasolene. tank with the indicating attachment connected thereto. Fig. 3 is .a' vertical is a vertical section taken on l ne 4 4 of Fig. 3.

provided with a transparent vertical slot 7,

closed with glass, whereby the contents of the cylinder 6 may be observable from the outside.

As shown in Fig. 1 the float cylinder 6 is adapted to be disposed exteriorly of the motor car body 0 the same having its upper end connected to the lower wall of the casing or receptacle 8, which is fastened by means of lugs 25 to the side of the motor car as clearly illustrated-in Fig. 1. The said float cylinder 6 is so disposed that the fluid L will enter from the bottom thereof and have its level with the fluid within the tank 1 and thereby indicate the height of the liquid within the, tank through the glass covered slot 7 of the cylinder 6, and in order to operate an indicating mechanism D, so as to indicate the volume or gallons of the liquid within the tank 1, the'float 9 whichis preferably made of a light material, such as aluminum or cork, is disposed for jvert-ical 'movement within the cylinder 6, and is floated by the liquid L therewithiu.

Connected to the float 9 and projecting upwardly therefrom through an aperture in the bottom of the casing 8 is a vertically disposed slidable rod 10, whose upper end is pivotally connected at 11 to the lower end of the short link12, whose upper end is pivotally connected .at 13 near the end of the lever 14, said lever being pivotally mounted 5 within the casing 8 upon a shaft 15:), and carrying at its extreme end beyond the pivotal point- 13 the short arm 16, whose lower end is connected by means of the spring 17 -to the rod 10 below the pivotal point 11 thereof,- another spring 18 being connected at such point tothe rod 10 and at a point 19 to the lever 14, said springs being of such tensions as to normally hold the-rod 10 and link 12 in a vertically alined position, but

permitting a slight movement without actu-- ating the indicator D due to the movement of the liquid in the cylinder 6 caused by the jolting of the car. .A'gradual movement vertically up and down of the liquid within the cylinder 6 by the aid of the springs 17 and 18 will lift the long end of the lever 14 in a vertical line so as to cause the geared segment 20 to actuate the gear or pinion 21 disposed within the reduced end 22 of the casing 8, so as to operate the pointer 2.3 to

give a visual indication of the contents of the tank 1. I

' Hingedly connected to the front of the casing 8 is a door 24 which permits-access to the register mechanism within the casing when deemed necessary. I

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it is evident that a registering or recording attachment such as herein shown and described may be readily attached to any form of gasolene tank without interfering with the present installation, it simply being necessary to properly place the float cylinder 6 so that the rise and fall of the liquid within the reservoir or tank 1 will seek its proper level 1 within the cylinder and thereby actuate the sight float 9 so as to operate the lever 14 and the pointer 23 to indicate the exact volume, or the cubic contents of the tank 1.

By disposing 'the'mechanism exteriorl of the car and in view of the owner or chau eur, the Working parts of the mechanism are re-' moved distantly from the tank and are not affected directly as in most instances, the liquid entering the pipe 3 and into the cylinder 6 from the lower end thereof, and by confining the float 9 within a limited space such as the cylinder 6, thesplashing of the gasolene within the tank 1 due to the jarring of the same during the travel of the car, will affect the float 9fto a minimum, whereas where the float is disposed directly within the tank and as is the case in most instances, the float is actuated at all times by the splashing action of the gasolene within 'the tank and therebyrenders the indicating uncertain and continuallyvarying, not due however, to the rise and fall of the gasolene due to the regular use thereof. Should,

however, the splashing affect the float 9, any movementof the liquid other than a stralght up and down or vertical movement, will slightly oscillate the upper end ofthe rod 10 and link 12, so as to stretch .one or the other of the springs 17 or 18, and not materially affect the indicating mechanism.. 4 g

. Whatjs claimed is:

41. In an indicator.attachmentfor liquid fuel tanks, a vertically disposed cylinder in communication at its lower end .with the 1 fuel tank, a float mounted for reciprocatory movement within the cylinder to be ac tuated by the .rise and fall of the liquid.

. fuelthereim; anindicating device, a ivoted lever operablyjconne ted indicating device," a l nk.

to the outer free end o said lever, a rod atg ne; en to the.

endpivotally connected to thelower end of -said link, and two springs, each connected to the lever at a side of the link op posite that to which the other'is connected, the lower end of said springs being connected to the float rod below its pivotal connection with the link, whereby the rod and link are normally held in vertical alinement.

2. In an indicator attachment for liquid 'fuel tanks, a vertically disposed cylinder in c'ommunication at'its lower end with the fuel tank, a float mounted for reciprocatory movement within the cylinder to be actuated by the rise and fall of the liquid fuel therein, an indicating device, a pivoted lever operably connected;;at.one end. to the indithereto and tothe lever upon the side of its pivotal connection nearer the indicating device.

3.-In an indicatin attachment for liquid fuel tanks, the combination with a tank, and

.an outlet leading therefrom, of a conduit connected to said outlet and leading away from the tank, a cylinder vertically disposed and having its lower end in comniunication with said conduit, said cylinder beihg ,provided with a vertically. disposed transparent portion the full length thereof, a caslng connected to the upper end of said cylinder and supporting the same, a float disposed within said cylinder and actuated by the rise and fall of the liquid fuel therein, a rod connected to said float and extending ,u wardly within the casing, a link pivota ly connected to the upper end of said rod, a lever pivoted within the casing and at right angles to the float rod, an indicating device 'operably connected to the inner end of saidlev'er, 'the'upper' end of said link being pivotally connected to the said'lever near the opposite en'd' to the indicating device, and means connected to the with the link, to retain thefloatrod and link vertical alinement.

4.31 an. indicator. attachment for liquid lfuel tanks, the combination with a tank, and an outlet leadin therefrom, of aconduitfconnectedfto said outlet and; leading away from the tank,la cylinder vertically "disposed" and having" its lower end in "communicatiOn with said conduit,'said cylinder. being provided-with a vertically disposed lever on opposite sides of the link and to.. the, float r'od below its pivotal connection transparent portion the full length thereof,

a casing connected to the upper end of said cylinder and supportin the same, a float disposed within said cy inder and actuated by, the rise and fall of liquid fuel therein, a

.rod connected to said float and extending .upwardly 'within the casing, a link ivotally connected to the upper end of sai rod, a lever pivoted within the casing and at right angles to the float rod, an indicating device operably connected to the inner end of said lever, the upper end of said link being pivotally connected to said lever near the opposite end of the indicating device, and

Copies of thin patent my be obtained two springs having their lower ends con- 5 nected to the float rod below its pivotal con nection with the lower end of the link, and. having their other ends disposed in oppoas my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa- V ture in. the presence of two-witnesses.

JOSEPH B. TURNER. Witnesses:

F. E. BUNGER, W. T. HINES.

for he cent: each, by addressing the commissioner of I'atenta,

Washington, D. 0."

pivotal point 20 

